>>> BACK NOW WITH A WAY TO MAKE
EASY MONEY.
GET VIDEO OF A TRUCK IDLING IN
NEW YORK CITY.
THERE ARE HEFTY FINES FOR DIRTYING THE AIR AND SO-CALLED
IDLE WARRIORS ARE GOING TO
SHARE.
TONIGHT ANDREW SIFF EXPLAINS HOW THEY’RE HELPING TO CLEAN UP
NEW YORK. >> Reporter: AN IDLING ENGINE.
SOUNDS LIKE PAYDAY.
>> I REALLY WASN’T EVEN THINKING
ABOUT THE MONEY THAT I WAS
MAKING.
>> Reporter: THAT’S DONALD
BLARE.
HE WENT AFTER IDLING TRUCKS AND
BUSES IN BROOKLYN AND GOT PAID.
>> $55,000.
>> Reporter: ANOTHER $75,000 ON
THE WAY FROM THE CITY’S HAUL OF $2.3 MILLION IN IDLING FINES.
A QUARTER OF THAT, MORE THAN
$700,000, GOES TO CITIZENS. >> IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE
SOMEONE’S BEHAVIOR, THE BEST WAY
TO DO IT IS TO HIT THEM IN THE
POCKET.
>> Reporter: HITTING THEM
THROUGH THE RULES OF THE 2019
CITY LAW CALLED THE CITIZENS AIR
COMPLAINT PROGRAM. HERE’S HOW IT WORKS.
FIND A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE THAT’S
IDLING, RECORD VIDEO FOR THREE
MINUTES IN MOST NEIGHBORHOODS OR ONE MINUTE IN A SCHOOL ZONE.
THEN UPLOAD IT TO THE CITY’S
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
THE VEHICLE OWNER CAN BE FINED
$350 OR MORE.
THE CITIZEN CALLING IT IN GETS
$87.50 OR MONEY QUARTER OF EACH
FINE.
WHAT’S THE RATIONALE FOR YOU,
THE CITIZEN, GETTING SOME OF
THAT MONEY?
>> IT’S WORK.
>> Reporter: GEORGE IS ANOTHER WATCHDOG IN THE GROUP CALLING
THEMSELVES THE IDLE WARRIORS. ABOUT 60 NEW YORKERS INVOLVED.
THIS MAN NET THE $47,000 SO FAR.
HE REFOCUSED AFTER HIS BROTHER
DIED OF LUNG CANCER AND AFTER
THE IRAQ WAR DIDN’T TRIGGER ENERGY INDEPENDENCE.
>> THESE TWO THINGS COMPELLED ME
TO FIND A DIRECTION AND MAKE A
STATEMENT. >> Reporter: WHILE HE THINKS THE
NEW LAW MADE A DIFFERENCE --
>> THERE’S AN IDLING BUS LIKE
THIS. I CAN TELL YOU WITH ASSURANCE
THAT THE PAST TWO YEARS IT
STOPPED.
>> SOMEBODY GOT THE MESSAGE?
>> THEY PAY THE FINE AND THEY
CHANGE BEHAVIOR.
>> Reporter: HE’S UPSET ABOUT
THE MANY VEHICLES OWNERS WHO DON’T PAY THE FINE.
>> ALMOST $8 MILLION IN DEFAULT
PAYMENT NOT PAID ON IDLING
TICKETS ALONE. I MEAN, WHAT SORT OF SYSTEM
ALLOWS FOR THAT TO HAPPEN?
>> Reporter: AN I-TEAM REVIEW OF THE CITY’S 311 DATA REVEALED
AMAZON REMAINS THE LEADER IN
UNPAID FINES, $250,000 OWED.
U.P.S. NEXT AT $75,000.
FEDEX AT $60,000.
>> THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS.
>> Reporter: THE CITY CONTROLLER
SUGGESTING TOUGHER ENDORSEMENT.
>> IT’S NOT ONLY A QUESTION OF,
LIKE, IS THAT FEDEX TRUCK
IDLING, BUT IF THE FEDEX IS
IDLING, WE START COMPOUNDING
FEDEX VEHICLES UNTIL THEY PAY THEIR TICKETS.
>> Reporter: FEDEX TOLD THE
I-TEAM WE ALWAYS DRIVE TO COMPLY AND EMPHASIZE THEY’RE
TRANSITIONING TO AN ELECTRIC
FLEET BY 2040.
U.P.S. SAYS THEY WILL WORK WITH
THE CITY TO RESOLVE.
AMAZON SAID WE ARE WORKING WITH
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CITY TO
RESOLVE THE OUTSTANDING FINES.
AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
STRESSED THE SUCCESS FROM 5,000 IDLING TICKETS ISSUED IN 2019 TO
11,300 LAST YEAR.
>> IT WORKS BECAUSE THE CITIZENS
ARE GETTING REWARDED FOR THEIR EFFORTS.
>> Reporter: SAMARA SWANSTON
WROTE THE IDLING LAW BECAUSE AIR
POLLUTION FOR HER IS DEEPLY
PERSONAL.
>> I LOST MY FIRST HUSBAND AND MY DAUGHTER TO ASTHMA ATTACKS.
>> Reporter: FOR SWANSTON, THE
SOUND OF AN ENGINE RUMBLING ISN’T REVENUE, IT’S JUSTICE FOR
FAMILY MEMBERS WHOEBLZ -- SHE
BELIEVES WOULD BE ALIVE IF THE AIR WERE CLEANER.
>> I THINK THEY WOULD BE HAPPY
WE WERE DOING THE RIGHT THING
FOR NEW YORK CITY.
THEY BOTH DIED IN NEW YORK CITY
AND WE CAN DO BETTER, NEW YORK